1. Field
The present invention relates in general to microprocessor based educational devices and more particularly, to dual purpose electronic devices providing educational and entertainment activities to a child with the capability of being used both on a stand-alone basis as well as connected to a personal computer.
2. Background
Prior art electronic educational learning devices have historically taken the form of stand-alone specialized devices which commonly engage a child in educational activities directed to one or more specific educational subjects such as, for example, question and answer drills on spelling or math. A typical prior art electronic educational learning device incorporates an electronic voice synthesis module which converts digitally stored data into audible human speech towards prompting the child to take a specific action (such as identify a specific geometric shape) and/or respond to a specific question posed (spell a specified word). The child typically provides a response to the prompt via input mechanism (keyboard, buttons, etc.), which response is then compared to the correct answer or expected response stored in memory. An audible and/or visual indication is provided indicating whether the child's response to the command or question posed is correct or incorrect.
Early prior art electronic educational learning devices incorporated relatively small, often single line, LED or LCD displays which provided visual prompts and/or responses to the child. Prior art devices in some cases were used in connection with separate printed bound workbooks which provided visual support for one or more various educational activities executed by the device. More recent forms of prior art devices incorporate significantly more electronic memory and video capabilities such that more elaborate and more extensive interaction with the child is possible.
A typical prior art electronic educational device utilizes both internal memory and external memory cartridges or CD-ROMs which contain various educational activities, questions, answers and graphics and sound files which are presented to the child during operation of the device. Certain prior art devices further provided for the ability to obtain additional educational activities in the form of additional cartridges or CD-ROMs comprising additional questions and their respective answers relative to one or more educational subject matter areas and were thus not limited by the internally stored content. One such prior art device incorporated a removable memory cartridge which, when removed from the electronic learning aid apparatus, could be inserted into a separate physical docking station that was connected to a personal computer. Using the personal computer and its ability to connect via the internet to external servers and/or websites, a parent could download new content to the memory cartridge which could be then made available for use by the child when the memory cartridge was removed from the docking station and reinserted into the educational device.
While certain prior art educational devices have born a cosmetic appearance in the form of a clam shell design to mimic an adult laptop computer, a typical prior art electronic educational learning aid device functioned solely as a stand-alone device. Consequently, conventional electronic learning aids become “age obsolete,” in that once a child has learned the device's programmed content, the device is of little use thereafter. Additionally, conventional electronic learning aids to not provide for robust tracking of a child's progress.